The Harvested

Chapter 1: The Price of Feeling

The sun barely breaks through the thick haze that envelops Ogalis, casting a pallor over the city. Crumbling concrete and sleek skyscrapers exist side by side, a stark reminder of a society teetering on the brink of collapse. Neon signs flicker overhead, advertising Emotional Tokens that promise a fleeting escape from despair.

Lila stirs in her small, cramped apartment, a relic of better days now burdened by shadows. The walls are adorned with peeling paint, and the air is stale, tinged with the scent of desperation. She glances at her younger brother, Max, who lies curled in bed, his face drawn and pale. At sixteen, he is burdened by the weight of an invisible depression, one that leaves him trapped in a cycle of darkness.

Lila rises quietly, careful not to disturb him. She glances at the small calendar on the wall, noting the day's date—it's time for her weekly visit to 'The Exchange'. As she dresses in worn clothes, memories flood back: a time when joy was abundant, when emotions flowed freely and didn't carry a price tag.

She makes her way to the kitchen, where the sparse contents of the refrigerator remind her of their precarious situation. There's little food left, and the thought of selling her emotions again hangs heavily in the air. Her heart aches as she remembers the day she first sold her happiness—a decision born of desperation but one that began her slow decline into emotional poverty.

Stepping out into the streets, Lila is engulfed by the cacophony of Ogalis. The sounds of honking vehicles, shouting vendors, and the murmurs of people trading their feelings create a symphony of despair. She navigates the throngs of people, her eyes scanning the faces around her. Many wear masks of forced smiles or deep frowns, each reflecting their emotional state—a marketplace of suffering and false cheer.

As she approaches the Exchange, the building looms large, an imposing fortress of glass and steel. Inside, sleek screens display the fluctuating values of different emotions, each price reflecting the market's whims. Brokers, impeccably dressed, move like vultures among the desperate, ready to swoop in and assess the worth of each person's feelings.

Lila steps inside, her heart racing. The air is charged with tension, a mix of hope and hopelessness. She joins a line of weary souls waiting to sell their emotions. The Broker at the front—a sharp-eyed woman with a predatory smile—gestures for Lila to step forward.

"Ah, another happiness to sell," the Broker says, her tone both dismissive and intrigued. "What do you have for me today?"

Lila swallows hard, trying to muster the last remnants of her joy. "I—I'd like to sell my happiness," she stammers, forcing a smile that feels foreign on her lips.

The Broker raises an eyebrow, assessing her. "You've sold happiness before. It's worth less each time, you know. I can offer you... five Tokens."

Lila's heart sinks. Five tokens is barely enough for a week's worth of food. She bites her lip, frustration bubbling to the surface. "Isn't there anything more? It's worth more than that."

The Broker chuckles, a sound devoid of warmth. "This isn't a charity, dear. Supply and demand dictate the price. The more you sell, the less valuable it becomes."

Feeling defeated, Lila nods, accepting the tokens with trembling hands. As she leaves the Exchange, the weight of her decision presses down on her like a lead blanket. Each token feels like a fragment of her soul being bartered away.

Back on the streets, Lila's mind races. She watches others exchange their emotions, their faces revealing a myriad of feelings—some desperate, others resigned. She recalls stories she's heard of 'The Feelers', a group of rebels fighting against the commodification of emotions. But fear holds her back; she has no idea how to escape this cycle of emotional exploitation.

As she walks home, the sky darkens, mirroring her mood. She stops to watch a group of children playing, their laughter ringing out like music. In that moment, she longs for the days of unrestrained joy, where emotions weren't chained by currency.

Arriving home, Lila finds Max still asleep. She prepares a simple meal, her mind racing with thoughts of what it means to feel in a world that commodifies emotion. As she serves him, she watches his face relax into a peaceful expression. She wants to share the tokens with him, to buy his happiness if only for a moment.

As Max stirs awake, Lila puts on her best smile, though it feels heavy. "Hey, Max. I brought some food. It's not much, but..."

His eyes light up, and for a fleeting moment, she sees the boy he once was—a spark of joy buried beneath layers of despair. "Thanks, Lila," he whispers, his voice still thick with sleep.

As they eat together, Lila vows to find a way out of this system, to help Max reclaim his emotions and their family's lost happiness. The seeds of rebellion begin to take root in her heart, fueled by the desire for a world where feelings can be freely expressed and cherished.